Talk to me about your HRT

[Seriously79]

After about 18 ish months of weird period cycles, low mood, anxiety, sleepless nights, body aches, low sex drive - you get the picture, I've finally been to the GP today about it.

Have to say, GP was lovely! Listened to all that I said, and took it on board.

Need to get a smear done (I've been experiencing bleeding after sex) and as long as it comes back ok, I can go back and start to chat about starting HRT. I'm 44.

I always thought that I'd have to be much further along the peri/ menopause journey.

So my question is: what type of HRT do you use? Gel/ patches/ tablets?

How do you get on with them?

Any side effects?

How long did it take them to kick in?

I'm on pessary, patches and tablets. All low dose. I'm 58. Only been on them 3 weeks but the hot flushes at night and anxiety have improved. Also intercourse was virtually impossible but that is fine now. No side effects at all.

Slightly different as I was put on HRT (patches) after surgical menopause.
However, I was clearly suffering Peri prior to my hysterectomy. I hadn’t realised what a complete emotional nut I had become! I was anxious, reactive, screaming banshee one minute over the slightest thing, sobbing over nothing. The lack of sleep was the hardest.

Everything improved on HRT. No side effects.
Sleep improved further by starting magnesium L threonate supplements.

I’ve been on patches for near two months now and no side effects - I feel fab! Severe low mood, crap energy, hot flushes all improved within a few days.

honestly I feel the best I’ve felt in ages. Im 40 and hadn’t really considered it as a cause until a colleague was talking to me about her symptoms and I realised that was me! Tried the patches and it obviously was peri-menopause given the substantial improvement.

50 years old, was having irregular periods with some bad flooding, hot flushes, lost spatial awareness so kept hitting door jambs and tables (really hard!) and I had rage/bad temper badly. Normally very laid back. Dryness leading to pain after sex.
I got oestrogen gel, progesterone tablets and oestrogen pessary tablets.

The symptoms disappeared pretty much completely within a few weeks. I am delighted. The dryness is still there but not nearly as badly and I just use a lubricant from the chemist if needed.

Oh and my hips, ankles, shoulders had been getting aches but that's away as well.

I started HRT at 41. I'm on progesterone tablets and gel (my choice). After reading a lot of info on here from Jinglinghellsbells that's what I asked for and they were more than happy to oblige. Within 2 weeks of taking it I was a different person.

No side effects. On patches and tablet. Absolutely life changingly better

I take elleste duet tablet. It's just one a day and it's helped Me so much. Been on it a year now and wouldn't look back

Evorel 75 patches and Utrogestan. It's cleared up my mood swings, helped my brain fog and general flatness, but the testosterone I've got on private prescription has given me horrible cystic acne, so I've scaled that back.

Been on HRT for 2 years or so. Started with the combined patches but felt awful during the progesterone cycle so moved to gel and utrogestan. I was referred (nhs) to a gynaecologist due to fibroids and she’s been incredibly helpful regarding hrt. I was still struggling with the progesterone so she advised me to start continuously on a lower dose instead of in a cycle, and to take it vaginally. Most of the symptoms are gone - hot flushes, etc. but I am still knackered and have some hormonal anxiety issues, so now awaiting blood tests to check oestrogen levels see whether testosterone might help. Oh, and will be moving from the gel back to patches for the oestrogen because I find the gel really annoying! On 3 pumps now and it takes forever to dry.

sorry, that was long!

Patches and coil. I think I'm better on hrt than not, but I'm not the best I can be I don't think. That said, I have a busy job, teen kids, pets and family all living a long way away.

I had a real lift when i first started the patches, then it slowly went back to normal..